Rumors about Lord Kintsuchi and Miss Kurotsuchi had already spread throughout the Hidden Stone Village.
So said they were a match made in heaven, so claid the Tsuchikage was secretly trying to bring them together, and others insisted the two had already pledged themselves to each other in private.
Kyoshin had heard the rumors. Kurotsuchi had too. But neither of them cared much about it. Kurotsuchi simply didn't mind, while Kyoshin honestly had no idea how he was supposed to react.
After finishing their visit to the ninja tool shop, Kurotsuchi bought several shuriken, while Kyoshin picked out a few practice scrolls for sealing techniques.
Just as the two were about to head ho, a small red figure ca running around the corner.
"Big Brother Kyoshin! Big Sister Kurotsuchi!"
It was Karin.
Unlike in the original story, her red hair was tied into a ponytail, and so of the baby fat had already faded from her face.
She was holding a small bottle in her hand. Panting lightly, she ran up to Kyoshin and handed it over.
"Big Brother Kyoshin... this... this is for you..."
Kyoshin took the bottle. Inside was a pale green liquid that gave off a sweet, refreshing scent.
Kurotsuchi pressed her lips together slightly. This little brat was copying her again.
"What is it?" Kyoshin asked.
"A recovery drink I mixed myself," Karin said softly, a shy blush spreading across her small face.
"I asked the dical team pharmacists for advice. I added rock honey, grass extract, and a tiny bit of chakra recovery solution."
Her voice grew quieter and quieter, but her eyes never left Kyoshin. They were filled with cautious anticipation.
Kyoshin opened the bottle and took a sip.
The taste was a little different from the one Kurotsuchi gave him. Less sweet, but the herbal fragrance was stronger.
After swallowing it, he could feel a warm current spreading from his stomach through his body. It really did have a restorative effect.
"Not bad," he said sincerely.
Karin's eyes lit up imdiately, and a bright smile blood across her face.
Kurotsuchi watched from the side, a trace of complicated emotion flashing through her eyes.
She shook her head and pushed those stray thoughts aside. Then she reached out and rubbed Karin's hair.
"Little Karin's really thoughtful. But rember this next ti, when mixing dicine, you have to pay attention to the proportions. Too much chakra recovery solution can cause side effects."
"Mhm! I'll be careful!" Karin nodded vigorously, then looked at Kyoshin.
"Big Brother Kyoshin, are you coming to the training grounds tomorrow? I want to ask you so questions about sealing techniques..."
"I'll be there." Kyoshin nodded. "In the afternoon. I need to guide Deidara's training in the morning."
Kurotsuchi reminded Karin again, "In public places, make sure you pay attention to how you address him."
Karin liked calling Kyoshin by his real na, while Kurotsuchi was much more conscious about secrecy.
Karin obediently nodded. "Okay! I got it. From now on I'll call Big Brother Kyoshin, Big Brother Kintsuchi."
Kurotsuchi, "..."
The three of them walked back together.
Karin walked on Kyoshin's other side, occasionally looking up at him, her eyes full of dependence and admiration.
anwhile, Kurotsuchi held onto Kyoshin's arm naturally, as though it were a privilege that belonged exclusively to her.
The villagers who passed by lowered their voices and whispered among themselves.
"Look, Lord Kintsuchi is with the two young ladies again."
"They really suit each other... their relationship's so good."
"I heard even Lord Tsuchikage has tacitly approved it..."
Hearing those comnts made Kurotsuchi feel a little smug, so she glanced at Karin to check her reaction. In the end, she discovered Karin wasn't even paying attention to her at all.
After returning ho, Kyoshin headed alone to the Tsuchikage's office to et Onoki.
"I'm going to make a trip to the Land of Waves."
Onoki set down the pen in his hand and shifted his gaze onto Kyoshin. The corners of his mouth curled upward involuntarily.
"What is it this ti? Another good find?"
Over the years, because of Kyoshin's familiarity with the original plot, every ti he ca to report an outing to Onoki, he would eventually return with sothing valuable.
"Trying my luck," Kyoshin answered. "A ninja with a kekkei genkai, but recruiting him won't be easy."
Onoki nodded. "Good. Go ahead. But rember, your safety cos first. Everything else is secondary."
Kyoshin bowed and left the office.
———
[The Bridge In The Land of Waves]
Waves crashed against the bridge pillars as the thick mist gradually dispersed.
The battle at the center of the bridge had reached its final stage.
Kakashi held the Raikiri in his hand, his single Sharingan locked onto Zabuza as he prepared to strike.
Haku, who had been fighting Naruto and Sasuke, noticed imdiately and withdrew to rush toward Zabuza.
The Raikiri crackled with terrifying blue lightning. Kakashi shot forward like an arrow released from the string, the distance between them rapidly shrinking.
But at that critical mont, Kakashi suddenly sensed a trace of danger.
The sprinting Kakashi forcefully shifted his trajectory more than three ters to the side.
At the sa ti, several shuriken rained down from the sky, landing in front of Zabuza and Haku.
The sudden turn of events instantly put both sides on guard.
"Good thing I made it in ti.", A calm voice ca from overhead.
Everyone looked up toward the sky.
At so unknown point, a young man wearing simple black clothing and an Anbu mask had appeared floating high in the air. Strong winds whipped the sandproof cloak over his shoulders until it snapped loudly in the air.
Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto hurried over to Kakashi's side.
Taking the opportunity, Zabuza and Haku widened the distance between themselves and Team Seven.
The Nine-Tails chakra cloak around Naruto faded away. He gasped for breath, then burst out laughing toward Kyoshin.
"I don't care who you are, but you saved Big Sister Haku, so you can't be a bad guy!"
Sasuke, still in his hedgehog-like state while pulling senbon needles out one by one, frowned.
"Naruto, we still don't know what he wants."
Sakura's eyes were full of vigilance as she looked at Kyoshin.
Kakashi stared at him and analyzed aloud, "The ability to fly through the air... he's probably from the Hidden Stone Village, and not an ordinary ninja either."
"But," Kakashi asked Kyoshin, "you're not a ninja hired by Gato, are you?"
The Land of Waves was absurdly far from the Land of Earth. There was no way Gato would run all the way there just to hire ninja.
"We're not enemies."
After replying to Kakashi, Kyoshin slowly descended, positioning himself closer to Zabuza's side.
At that mont, both Zabuza and Haku were watching him carefully.
Kyoshin spoke directly to Zabuza.
"Fifty million ryo, plus safe passage far away from the Land of Water to sowhere secure. You'll be able to start over."
Zabuza frowned, his hairless brows twitching slightly.
"What do you want?"
Kyoshin raised a hand and pointed beside him, "I want him."
Haku's delicate face imdiately changed.
"I won't leave Lord Zabuza!"
"Shut up, Haku!" Zabuza barked harshly.
But because of the angle, Haku couldn't see the complicated emotions hidden deep within Zabuza's eyes.
Zabuza did not imdiately agree. Instead, he asked, "So who exactly are you?"
Following him offered Haku no future, but Zabuza also had no intention of handing Haku over to so random stranger.
Kyoshin introduced himself plainly.
"I'm an Anbu of the Hidden Stone Village."
"Heh..." Zabuza finally relaxed a little inside. "Makes sense. Only the Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone would have that kind of bizarre flying ability."
"But isn't fifty million a little stingy?"
"You should know this is a kekkei genkai we're talking about."
Hearing Zabuza openly discussing the price attached to him with Kyoshin filled Haku with pain and helplessness.
[🎉 Shoutout to Jesus, Gavin, Jage and Pierre for joining p@treon. Thank you very much.🤗]
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